Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering

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Contact Information

Vice Chair for Graduate Education
940 Benedum Engineering Hall
412-624-9646
Fax: 412-624-9639
E-mail: ril3@pitt.edu
http://www.engineering.pitt.edu/chemical/

Graduate Degree Programs

The Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering awards Master of Science degrees in chemical and petroleum engineering and the Doctor of Philosophy degree in chemical engineering; offers several dual degree programs; and participates in joint degree programs with the Katz Graduate School of Business and the School of Medicine. The general objective of all programs is to develop the ability of the chemical or petroleum engineer to carry out original research at advanced levels.

The aim of the doctoral program is to develop individuals for careers in academic and industrial research. The program is flexible. Its primary emphasis is on innovative and distinctive research on the cutting edge of engineering science. Students wishing to pursue the PhD should have an outstanding academic background and a desire and ability to carry out original research. PhD students here are given independence and responsibility. They are not only encouraged, but are expected, to develop research ideas, which they propose and defend. They work closely with their faculty research advisors and often participate in a research group addressing relevant engineering problems. To supplement their research, students take advanced courses in areas related to their research work. Candidates for the PhD achieve a high level of proficiency through this advanced course work and individual study in their research area and related areas.

The graduate program offers MS and PhD students the opportunity to pursue independent research in five research focus areas in which the department has developed national and international reputations: biotechnology, catalysis, environment and energy, materials, and multi-scale modeling. Additional research areas exist in programs that have exploited opportunities at the interface between disciplines. The department’s recognized research activities impact the following boundaries between established disciplines: biotechnology/environment; biology/medicine/engineering; energy/environment; polymer chemistry/physics; catalysis/chemistry/materials; catalysis/energy; and catalysis/environment.

Admissions

Chemical Engineering: For admission to full graduate status, students should have an undergraduate degree in chemical engineering with high academic standing from an ABET accredited curriculum.

Petroleum Engineering: For admission to full graduate status, students should have an undergraduate degree in engineering or geology and high academic standing.

Students from chemistry or from another engineering discipline who desire to pursue a graduate degree in chemical engineering must have a high grade point average and prepare for graduate course work by taking selected undergraduate courses in chemical engineering. See requirements for students with non-Chemical Engineering BS degree for PhD  or MS (select program from the programs list, below). Each case for admission will be evaluated individually, and applications are encouraged. Interested students may apply online. Questions can be sent to che@engr.pitt.edu. Be sure to include your name and complete mailing address.

Send surface mail to:

University of Pittsburgh
Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering
Vice Chair for Graduate Education
940 Benedum Hall
Pittsburgh, PA 15260

Financial Assistance

While admission to the graduate program does not imply the granting of financial aid, most fulltime PhD students are supported. All students who qualify for financial assistance are awarded departmental fellowships. In addition, a select few top students receive supplementary dean’s fellowships. An applicant interested in obtaining financial aid should request information directly from the department. Applications for admission and financial aid should be submitted by January 1 for the following fall term.

Programs

• Chemical Engineering, PhD

• Chemical and Petroleum Engineering Dual Degree, MS
• Computational Modeling & Simulation, PhD

• Chemical Engineering (Professional Engineer Program), MSCHe
• Chemical Engineering (Research-Oriented Program), MSCHe
• Petroleum Engineering, MSPE

Courses

• PETE 2004 - PRACTICUM
• PETE 2160 - PETROLEUM RESERVOIR ENGINEERING
• PETE 2201 - RECOVERY OF OIL BY WATERFLOODING
• PETE 2204 - ENHANCED OIL RECOVERY PROCESSES
• PETE 2205 - PETROLEUM PRODUCTION ENGINEERING
• PETE 2207 - PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS PROCESSING
• PETE 2208 - PETROLEUM DRILLING AND WELL COMPLETION DESIGN
• PETE 2209 - HYDRAULIC FRACTURING MECHANICS AND APPLICATIONS
• PETE 2211 - RESERVOIR SIMULATION
• PETE 2212 - CO2 FOR ENHANCED OIL RECOVERY AND FRACKING
• PETE 2900 - GRADUATE FELLOWSHIPS AND PROPOSAL-WRITING WORKSHOP
• PETE 2910 - SPECIAL PROJECTS
• PETE 2980 - MS RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
• PETE 2982 - ISSUES IN RESEARCH AND TRAINING
• PETE 2999 - M.S. THESIS

• CHE 2013 - MOLECULAR MANUFACTURING
• CHE 2016 - FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES OF BIODEGRADABLE METALLIC ALLOYS
• CHE 2017 - CHEMICAL ENERGY AND THE NATURE OF THE CHEMICAL BOND
• CHE 2018 - INTRODUCTION TO SURFACE ENGINEERING
• CHE 2043 - ELECTRON MICROSCOPY IN MATERIALS SCIENCE
• CHE 2052 - CARBON CAPTURE & STORAGE
• CHE 2101 - FUNDAMENTALS OF THERMODYNAMICS
• CHE 2201 - FUNDAMNTL OF REACTION PROCESSES
• CHE 2250 - CARDIO CLINICAL INTERNSHIPS
• CHE 2301 - FUNDAMNTL TRANSPORT PROCESSES 1
• CHE 2410 - MATHMTCL METHD IN CHEMCL ENGRG 1
• CHE 2475 - STATISTICS AND COMPUTATIONAL METHODS FOR SYS BIO
• CHE 2540 - PRACTICAL ELECTROCHEMISTRY
• CHE 2550 - SOLVING ENGINEERING PROBLEMS WITH COMPUTATIONAL CHEMISTRY
• CHE 2600 - PRINCIPLES AND PROPERTIES OF COMPLEX ENGINEERED MATERIALS
• CHE 2754 - PRINCIPLES OF POLYMER ENGINEERNG
• CHE 2811 - BIOMATERIALS & BIOCOMPATIBILITY
• CHE 2870 - SOLIDS PROCESSING AND TRANSPORT
• CHE 2900 - GRADUATE FELLOWSHIPS AND PROPOSAL-WRITING WORKSHOP
• CHE 2910 - SPECIAL PROJECTS
• CHE 2980 - MS RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
• CHE 2982 - ISSUES IN RESEARCH AND TEACHING
• CHE 2999 - M.S. THESIS
• CHE 3001 - GRADUATE SEMINAR
• CHE 3004 - PRACTICUM
• CHE 3460 - ADVANCED SCIENTIFIC VISUAL COMMUNICATION
• CHE 3910 - INDIVIDUAL STUDY
• CHE 3921 - SPECIAL TOPICS IN CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
• CHE 3922 - MODELING OF SOFT MATTER
• CHE 3980 - PHD RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
• CHE 3990 - ADVANCED GRADUATE PROJECTS
• CHE 3999 - PH.D. DISSERTATION

Return to: John A. Swanson School of Engineering